Wow, absolutely amazing....and definitely a huge hurt for seniors considering the NFL draft. Both schools are bowl eligible and are turning down their bowl games to punish their players for the recent fight that took place on the field.

Well, I actually think this shows class by both schools. It's about time someone stood up for what's right. Hopefully althetes all around the country will look at this and think twice about storming the field for a fight. I just feel sorry for those students who weren't involed though and are paying the price for what others did.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Clemson and South Carolina will not accept bowl bids, punishment for players who brawled toward the end of Saturday's game.

South Carolina athletic director Mike McGee said Monday that the Gamecocks' actions on the field were not consistent with the values and ethics of the school.

"This decision will have a significant financial impact on USC athletics. We will also lose a month of prebowl practice," McGee said. "It was a decision that had to be made."

Clemson athletics director Terry Don Phillips said in a statement the decision isn't fair to the majority of the players.

"But given the circumstances, I believe strongly that it is the right decision so that our university, our student-athletes, supporters and all people that love Clemson know without question what our values are," he said.

Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive and Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John D. Swofford both said that their respective conferences support the decision by the universities.

"The decision by the University of South Carolina not go to a bowl game sends the important message to student-athletes, not only at South Carolina and in the Southeastern Conference, but thoughout the nation that intercollegiate ahtletics will not tolerate the kind of behavior we saw in the South Carolina-Clemson game last Saturday," Slive said.

The commissioners also added that their conferences continues to review game films to determine if additional penalties are merited.

The brawl, which broke out with about six minutes left in the game, started when Tigers defensive lineman Bobby Williamson took down South Carolina quarterback Syvelle Newton and appeared to linger too long on top of him.

South Carolina coach Lou Holtz, in his last game after a 33-year career, and Clemson coach Tommy Bowden tried to break up the brawl. Eventually, security and police officers were needed to restore order. Clemson won 29-7."

I personally feel that the players deserve the "no bowl" punishment. The punishment could've been much worse, so they shouldn't complain. It will obviously hurt both programs financially, but the moral statement from this will be long-lived.